AANA Announces a Biannual Course Series for Underrepresented Medical Students

"The Future Scope: Introduction to Orthopaedics and Arthroscopy" course series will be co-developed and co-hosted by DePuy Synthes

ROSEMONT, Ill., May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Furthering the priority to promote diversity and inclusion within the orthopaedic community, the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) announced that it will co-develop and co-host a biannual course series titled "The Future Scope: Introduction to Orthopaedics and Arthroscopy" with DePuy Synthes*, The Orthopaedics Company of Johnson & Johnson. The course series is truly the first of its kind and comes with a generational impact that aims to reach minorities in the field while addressing gender and racial disparities head-on. The program will launch in October and November 2022.

The representation of minorities, including females, in orthopaedics compared to other medical specialties is staggeringly low, making introductory courses like this one essential. According to the Association of American Medical College's 2020 Physician Specialty Data Report, only 5.8% of all practicing Orthopaedic Surgeons in the United States are female – the lowest representation of women in all medical specialties. Additionally, while those who are underrepresented in medicine account for nearly 50.2% of all medical school students, just half of that number (25.6%) pursue an orthopaedic residency. The data clearly demands change, and AANA is committed to taking measures that recognize women and minorities in the field. To truly make a difference and execute this change, these medical students must be met early in their education for encouragement and mentoring, which is where the course series comes into play.

The course series, titled "Future Scope: Introduction to Orthopaedics and Arthroscopy," aims to introduce underrepresented medical students to the fundamentals of orthopaedic practice, professional opportunities within the field and insights into an orthopaedic career. The agenda for Future Scope is robust and includes lecture topics that serve as a brief overview while also introducing more trending topics such as biologics and rehabilitation. Additionally, Future Scope will include an esteemed faculty made up of seasoned surgeons who are considered "legends" in arthroscopy, sports medicine and orthopaedics.

"Seeing the Future Scope course series through from concept to reality is something that I could only hope to end my presidential term on," says Mark H. Getelman, M.D., AANA's immediate past president, who concluded his presidency for the organization just today. "One of my presidential commitments was to ensure AANA's ability to be at the forefront of improving diversity and inclusion within orthopaedics, and the Future Scope course series helps AANA do just that. Partnering with DePuy Synthes will help attract medical students on a national level while supporting our ability to show them first-hand how rewarding a career in orthopaedics can be."

DePuy Synthes' commitment involves a sponsorship of the course series from 2022-2024. The first course will take place October 1, 2022, at the MERCI Medical Lab in Park Ridge, Illinois, a premiere bioskills laboratory with over 24,000 square feet dedicated to hands-on learning, followed by a second course taking place November 5, 2022, at the Johnson & Johnson Institute in Raynham, Massachusetts.

AANA is an international professional organization of more than 6,000 Orthopedic Surgeons and other medical professionals who are committed to advancing the field of minimally invasive orthopedic surgery to improve patient outcomes through education, research and advancement.

* DePuy Synthes represents the products and services of DePuy Synthes Sales, Inc. and its affiliates.

Media Contact:

Christine Nogal, M.B.A., CAE
Vice President of Marketing & Operations, Arthroscopy Association of North America

847-993-2069

christinen@aana.org

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SOURCE Arthroscopy Association of North America